A Neighbor's Poem

We've chatted in the road a few times as he walked his dog by my driveway. He's a really interesting and nice guy.

Yesterday he asked me what I did for a living. I told him a little bit about Peak Prosperity and our general outlook on things and he asked me if I'd read the book Land: A New Paradigm for a Thriving World. He thought it's message would appeal to the average PP.com reader.

I haven't, and asked him what's its message is.

Turns out, David's a poet. The book had resonated so much with him that he wrote the following poem about it.

He's right: I think many of you will enjoy the message:

How can it be, when there’s plenty on earth,
For everyone to live happily, in harmony, and mirth,
That so many must struggle to simply pay rent
To those with so much, it couldn’t possibly be spent?

Economic wealth is built, by nature, work, and tools.
Nature is the land we share, it’s oil, minerals, and precious jewels.
Work is what we do all day, to try and make a buck
Tools, the machines we use, to save our backs, increase our luck.

The ways in which an income’s made, there are only two
We contribute to society, by things we build, or do,
Or take from society. Economists call it “Economic rent”.
It’s profiting from owning land, when for society, it was meant.

The law of rent as we all know, location, location, location
Is true in part cause people gather to practice their vocation.
They wish to walk to where they work, instead of take a car
Which makes the land they work on, more desirable by far.

Buyers pay for “exclusive access rights”, but only to one gent
Instead of society, from which is extracted that “economic rent”
Setting up a monopoly in which few can partake.
If they can’t afford bread, then "Let them eat cake”?

How can we change course, from what history is telling?
Can we create a new paradigm, that’s much more compelling?
Martin Adams book, “Land” is a good place to start.
It’s easy to read, since the author’s quite smart.

The answer’s so simple, the solution so fine
Return land to the community, since it came from the divine.
The land isn’t ours, it’s like the air that we breathe.
We borrow it briefly, before we must leave.

That’s not to say folks can’t use land without unity.
They’d pay “land contributions” to their community
Land becomes more affordable, as more wisely it’s used,
The community prospers, it’s no longer abused.

A system that’s transparent, efficient, and fair
To replace the old tax code, is a must, if we go there.
We’d pay for what’s used, and keep what is earned
Not taxed on production, or consumption, I’ve learned.